1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a computer implemented method, data processing system, and a computer program product for configuring data processing systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a computer implemented method, data processing system, and a computer program product for configuring data processing systems using vaguely defined components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Engineers responsible for building custom data processing systems are constantly concerned with compatibility issues among the various software and hardware components to be installed in the system. In order to aid engineers in their selection of compatible components, system configuration software has been developed. Configuration software works well when the components are easily determinable. When components are known at the time the software is written, compatibility rules, prerequisites and corequisites are easily determined and implemented. A specific rule can be written for each component of the system. An exemplary rule may look like the following:
If OS selected is “LINUX? And “OS specify 20” Feature is available, auto-select, “OS specify 20”.
However, as systems get larger, and more complicated, the number of specific rules grows. System engineers developing the configuration software must develop and maintain multiple rules for each component of the system—a task that is compounded in difficulty as the system incorporates additional components. Configuration rules must be modified when old components are replaced with newer releases. Furthermore, there remains the possibility that the auto-select rule may fail if the specified component is unavailable.